BOZEMAN - Ranching resilience will be the focus of this year's Montana Nutrition Conference and Livestock Forum in Bozeman.

The conference will begin the afternoon of Tuesday, April 9, and run through the morning of Wednesday, April 10, at the GranTree Inn, 1325 N. 7th Avenue.

Jude Capper, a sustainability consultant and adjunct professor of animal sciences at Washington State University, will give the keynote address, speaking on"How Do We Maintain U.S. Beef Production Sustainability and Resilience Moving Toward 2050?"

Other conference speakers will discuss flexibility in ranching, controlling wildlife damage on rangeland, development programming in livestock, new frontiers in mineral nutrition, long and short-run cattle, market challenges and opportunities, drought impacts on groundwater, ranching communication, and a systems approach to beef cow nutrition and reproduction.

The conference is organized by MSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist Rachel Endecott and others in Montana State University's Department of Animal and Range Sciences in collaboration with the Montana Feed Association.

Cost to attend both days of the conference is $80 if pre-registered or $100 at the door. Attending one day only costs $55 for Tuesday and $35 for Wednesday. Cost to attend only the Tuesday evening meal is $30. To register, call (406) 994-3415, send an e-mail to kelley@montana.edu or write Peggy Kelley at P.O. Box 172900, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717. A registration brochure is available at http://animalrange.montana.edu/conferences.htm